Fool Me Twice (Formerly Persephone)

3

Seph got the job as a waitress. The manager, Alice, took Jeremy's word and hired Seph on the spot, as long as she could start that night.

Jeremy's shift started at the same time as Seph's so he promised to take her in with him. "I'm not letting you pay for a cab to take you to the same place I'm going, at the same time I'm going. That's just crazy." He had told her. 

She couldn't disagree with that logic and happily agreed to go with him. 

There wasn't really a dress code for the waitresses, as long as what they wore was appropriate. On Fridays, they were required to wear some kind of sports shirt. Seph was going to have to update her wardrobe, as she didn't own a single article of clothing that was sports related. 

For her first shift, Seph had decided to go basic with a black top, comfortable sneakers and a pair of slacks that she felt good in, both in looks and in comfort.  

The night started out wonderfully. She remembered the specials of the night and the prices; She appeased a group of unhappy women, and she saved a plate one of the other waitresses- a tall redhead named Elisa had dropped. "Girl, you rock." Elisa had said, high fiving Seph. "That would have been the third cup I smashed this week." 

"And the sixth this month." A redheaded waiter called out, with a goofy grin on his face. "Don't worry, Elisa, I've been keeping count for you." 

Seph liked the camaraderie the wait-staff had. None of them had anything too mean to say about the others, they made Seph feel welcome and kept encouraging her. 

With only an hour left on her shift, Seph was bringing a load of dishes into the kitchen when calamity struck. She'd backed into the swinging doors, just as Jeremy did the same from the other side. They crashed into each other and the stacks of dishes that Seph had so precariously stacked went crashing to the floor. Seph flinched at the roaring shatter the dishes made and she tried her hardest not to burst into tears. She startled trembling. 

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry! Where's the broom? I can clean this right up." Seph could feel her face flushing. Fucking hell. Why today? She thought to herself. Her heart was racing, pounding against her chest. She could hear her blood rushing. 

"It's fine, I'll get it. It was probably my fault anyway." Jeremy told her, and his hand brushed her shoulder in what he meant to be a reassuring gesture. Seph flinched without meaning to, and without really even noticing she had done it. 

Another cook came up with a broom, and Jeremy grabbed it before Seph could. "I got this, Seph. You've probably got customers waiting for you. I don't want to hold you up, I know some of them get nasty when they have to wait." 

"Thank you, Jeremy. Sorry, everybody!" Seph called out to everyone that had to remake orders that had been on the plates that Jeremy had been holding. 

Seph took a second outside the kitchen to collect herself. She had been so close to crying but Jeremy had been so nice about it. Seph stopped herself from thinking too much about it now. Jeremy was right, she had tables to wait on. She had to get back in the dining room. 

Elisa caught up to her before she could leave her spot beside the kitchen door. "Don't worry about, it's happened to a couple of us before too. We need a window in that door so we can see anyone on the other side. Come on girlie, you've got this. You're doing great." 

Seph smiled and thanked her new friend, doing her best to shake off the accident. Together, they headed back out.

The last hour of the shift flew by, and when Elisa finally locked the front door, Seph wanted to cheer. "Drinks?" The bartender called out,while pouring shots, and everyone flocked to the bar. Everyone meaning Jeremy, Elisa, the other two kitchen workers, and Selena the hostess.